Pending Tortoise Parent

[Link]

Dale here in central Oklahoma. New to tortoise keeping. Will be obtaining a baby Sulcata really soon. I have been building and arranging the habitat for keeping this special breed. I have seen and spoken with the breeder, (local), and gathered great information. My set up is almost completely prepared and looks great to me I have kept other reptiles and understand they are not cats or dogs. This has been a life long enjoyment of mine about tortoises and turtles. Now I am going to to raise one of my very own. I hope it turns out better than my teenage son....just kidding.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hi Dale

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome to the Forum, Dale!

 

[tortdad]

Welcome dale. May we see your set up?

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome. Glad you found us first.

Most of the info for this species that has been circulating for decades is wrong. They are not a desert species. They are a grassland/forrest edge species and they trine in hot humid monsoon season conditions. Babies in the wild actually hatch at the first rain of the monsoon season. The rain is what triggers them to dig up and out.

Please read these before you buy:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/hatchling-failure-syndrome.23493/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-incubate-eggs-and-start-hatchlings.124266/

The two threads above will tell you what typically happens and what should happen. This will show you the questions to ask of the breeder to see if you are getting a good one, or a heartbreaking time bomb that will seem healthy at first and then die in two or three months.

Here is the correct care info:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

 

[Link]

Welcome dale. May we see your set up?

I will provide pics soon.
I have read a lot of topics here that are causing redress and additions but no total reworks.
I wanted the habitat proper and prepared before I even purchase my friend.
So no worries I am sealing it up for better humidity maintenance adding in a temp and humidity monitor probe set up and coco sub-strait and moss in hide.
The size of this initial enclosure is on the small side with 24"x 24" but this is just for the beginning.
I built it and can build just about anything as needed.
Now I am utilizing a ceramic heat lamp and auto controlled temp. Do I still need a basking lamp set up?
I have a bar uvb light already installed also.
I am also adding in a gro-light set up for live edible plants.
This is all for indoor enclosure due to the turtles age, but I already have outdoor enclosure I will be adapting for the better weather and such.
Also he will have access to entire yard (half an acre) eventually as he gets old enough.
I am working on the learning curve so thanks for all the input.

 

[HenleyT]

Welcome from New Mexico.....I was born and raised in Oklahoma glad to have you here.

 

[Link]

Welcome from New Mexico.....I was born and raised in Oklahoma glad to have you here.

Wow, this is funny. I am from New Mexico and moved to Oklahoma....Roswell was my home town for 31 years.

 

[Link]

I will provide pics soon.
I have read a lot of topics here that are causing redress and additions but no total reworks.
I wanted the habitat proper and prepared before I even purchase my friend.
So no worries I am sealing it up for better humidity maintenance adding in a temp and humidity monitor probe set up and coco sub-strait and moss in hide.
The size of this initial enclosure is on the small side with 24"x 24" but this is just for the beginning.
I built it and can build just about anything as needed.
Now I am utilizing a ceramic heat lamp and auto controlled temp. Do I still need a basking lamp set up?
I have a bar uvb light already installed also.
I am also adding in a gro-light set up for live edible plants.
This is all for indoor enclosure due to the turtles age, but I already have outdoor enclosure I will be adapting for the better weather and such.
Also he will have access to entire yard (half an acre) eventually as he gets old enough.

Hello and welcome. Glad you found us first.

Most of the info for this species that has been circulating for decades is wrong. They are not a desert species. They are a grassland/forrest edge species and they trine in hot humid monsoon season conditions. Babies in the wild actually hatch at the first rain of the monsoon season. The rain is what triggers them to dig up and out.

Please read these before you buy:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/hatchling-failure-syndrome.23493/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-incubate-eggs-and-start-hatchlings.124266/

The two threads above will tell you what typically happens and what should happen. This will show you the questions to ask of the breeder to see if you are getting a good one, or a heartbreaking time bomb that will seem healthy at first and then die in two or three months.

Here is the correct care info:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

I am working on the learning curve so thanks for all the input.

I haven't found any videos of the actual "bathing " of the young tortoises?
Honestly I don't want to do to little or to much water level and time....

 

[Link]

Is there a list of good an poor vendors? How do I know if I am choosing a good vendor or a not so good one?
I am looking at getting one from Wikel's Sulcata Farm in Stroud, Oklahoma. They seemed to have healthy tortoises ranging in ages.
After reading about health problems that only show up months later due to dehydration it makes me nervous to get any...
They were very helpful and informative, I am not attempting to besmirch them or insinuate they have done anything wrong, just curious about the opinion from others.

 

[Tom]

Is there a list of good an poor vendors? How do I know if I am choosing a good vendor or a not so good one?
I am looking at getting one from Wikel's Sulcata Farm in Stroud, Oklahoma. They seemed to have healthy tortoises ranging in ages.
After reading about health problems that only show up months later due to dehydration it makes me nervous to get any...
They were very helpful and informative, I am not attempting to besmirch them or insinuate they have done anything wrong, just curious about the opinion from others.

If you read those threads, you will understand what questions to ask.

Basically an earthworm should be able to thrive where your baby was started. If you could make beef jerky in the baby enclosure, then don't buy one from them.

Few breeders start them correctly. I've never heard of Wikel's, but ask them what substrate the babies live on and how often the soak the babies. If the answer is rabbit pellets and once a week, look elsewhere. What do they feed the babies? What incubation media do they use and how long do their babies spend in a brooder box? Do they even use a brooder box, or do they leave the babies in the incubator for a week, like some breeders do?

I personally would rather buy one directly from a breeder so that I could ask all of these questions. There are several here on our forum that start their babies correctly. I sell a few each year, but I'm out right now. Got about 100 eggs incubating due to hatch May and June. Lance and Austin also start their babies well.

Let us know what you find out about Wikel's.

 

[Link]

If you read those threads, you will understand what questions to ask.

Basically an earthworm should be able to thrive where your baby was started. If you could make beef jerky in the baby enclosure, then don't buy one from them.

Few breeders start them correctly. I've never heard of Wikel's, but ask them what substrate the babies live on and how often the soak the babies. If the answer is rabbit pellets and once a week, look elsewhere. What do they feed the babies? What incubation media do they use and how long do their babies spend in a brooder box? Do they even use a brooder box, or do they leave the babies in the incubator for a week, like some breeders do?

I personally would rather buy one directly from a breeder so that I could ask all of these questions. There are several here on our forum that start their babies correctly. I sell a few each year, but I'm out right now. Got about 100 eggs incubating due to hatch May and June. Lance and Austin also start their babies well.

Let us know what you find out about Wikel's.

They are on Facebook.
No they don't feed pellets and as for bathing they say every day for shell health and hydration.
I plan on asking to see a tortoise bath time
The only thing that makes me hesitant is that they don't encourage water dishes in the pen with the young tortoises as they can flip and drown.
I worry this may be dehydrating them.
I honestly feel they are just cautious with beginners due to their worry about the tortoises.
I have been reading a lot of these posts.

 

[Tom]

They are on Facebook.
No they don't feed pellets and as for bathing they say every day for shell health and hydration.
I plan on asking to see a tortoise bath time
The only thing that makes me hesitant is that they don't encourage water dishes in the pen with the young tortoises as they can flip and drown.
I worry this may be dehydrating them.
I honestly feel they are just cautious with beginners due to their worry about the tortoises.
I have been reading a lot of these posts.

Some breeders use dry rabbit pellets as substrate, not as food.

What substrate do they use under their babies?

With daily soaks and a humid enclosure, you would be unlikely to encounter dehydration related problems from this source. Still, lots of other questions to answer: Sun? Diet? Temps? Humid hide? Incubation media? Brooder box use? The wrong answer to any of those questions might be a deal killer for me. Especially if there were better options available.

 

[Rachael403]

Welcome!

 

[Stuart S.]

Hello and welcome!!

 

[Link]

Welcome dale. May we see your set up?

Here are some pics so far.
I still don't have the Sulcata yet as I am still setting up.

Indoor enclosure:
Awaiting my probe humid and temp meter set up this week. Also grow light and shorter heater bulb and basking bulb set up.
The center bar is completely movable and adjustable. Right now testing the heat and humidity levels.... well lets just say it can rain inside the pen. Put a cold glass on top of glass and underneath condenses and starts raining. The temp control device works well and is not constantly on. I sealled the top with insulated door jab inserts so when closed it is fairly sealed. The sub-strait is coco chor. The uvb light is across the back and there is moss under the tee-kee hut hide. This is approximately 2'Lx2'Wx1.5'H. I took a metal glass table and used 3/4 plywood to build the box inside it and added superstructure to hing the top. I slotted the front and added plexi-glass and lined the bottom and sides. This is in a highly visible location and will not be ignored or forgotten in a back room.
Outdoor enclosure:
This is of course a small chicken coop. I installed a solid floor and raised it off the ground due to heavy rains here and predators. This location receives sun coming and going, but allows plenty of shaded area and is approximately 3'Wx7'Lx5'H. The old chickens nesting area is perfect for storing pen products and such. I will build a box in the bottom the entire length that can slide out the front for care and access. Live plants in planters will be included. This is a secure set up as we have a bunch of possible predators ( eagles, hawks, raccoons, skunks, snakes, coyotes, bobcats, cougars, etc...)
Thanks for all your help so far.
Dale

 

[RosemaryDW]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[HenleyT]

Dale....how funny my husband was raised in Roswell. He still has family there.....

 

[Link]

Dale....how funny my husband was raised in Roswell. He still has family there.....

So do I, well actually some of my wife's family is still there. I went to Goddard High graduated in 90.

 

[Link]

Picked up baby last night. Introduced it to its new home, bathed and changed the water. I haven't been this worried since my kids were babies....
Ordered a scale to keep track of his weight. He really seems to like his baths.